Takashi Agera doesn't get to see his father very often - the man doesn't acknowledge Takashi as his son in public ever, and it's a private secret the two of them share. As an executive in Eclipse, the man is also very busy. But today, Takashi is in his office to explain some... budgetary anomalies and justify his position. Thankfully, this is largely a formality due to the hidden relationship. And this meeting is a rare chance for young Takashi to seek something special: a little fatherly advice. So with the formalities out of the way, he leans forward a bit.

"Father..." Takashi begins, the title signifying a change between the two halves of the discussion "... do you ever find yourself questioning why you do what you do? Not just your job, but any given thing." Takashi doesn't elaborate further on the many current issues bringing him to this question. "I suppose great philosophers have ruminated on this question, on the meaning of life and why, and each found different answers - so I want to know what yours is." Despite the strained and secret father-son relationship, Takashi is curious as to the motives of this man his mother loved so much.

Unfortunately, the effects surrounding Takashi's birth have also clouded this man's judgement - and he would be unrecognizable to Takashi's mother.

And so, the shadowy figure in the chair stands up, walking to the blind-darkened windows that covered a wall of his office, and drawing one open. Standing near it and pointing, he turns to Takashi. "Look at the people down there, in the streets." he said, his voice low. "Each of them is struggling, searching for their power. While they might each want to do something different - that man might just want to make enough to feed his family - this woman might want to be noticed - this student wants to get the grades to get into a university... Each of them really wants power of some kind. And each of them, if they had more, would be even more satisfied. The man wants financial power, and while he wants to feed his wife and child, he'd be much happier buying them all the finest things and living in a mansion. The lady there wants social power - but if she was a pop idol, she'd be much happier than just turning heads. The student wants intellectual power - to be in a university - but a scholarship to a top university would be even better. Each of them would be even more happy with more power."

"And that's where you break from them all. The man will only be able to earn so much no matter how hard he tries, the woman will only be so popular, the student only so smart. But thanks to the sacrifices your mother made, you're so much more than all of them combined. They're all just humans. You're so much more. Never be dragged down to their level. You should look down on them just like you are now." he says, before drawing the blinds back down.

"And sometimes when you acquire power, others lose it. If that student gets the scholarship, another student lost out. If that man becomes rich, another might become poor. It's the nature of power. But it's your birthright to have that power. The strength to do whatever you whatever you want, to reach out and take with impunity. To do anything else would deny your heritage. The purpose of your life? It's to gain all the power you can, and have whatever you want. Don't get trapped in some sort of philosophical quagmire. Take the power you are due, and with it, take everything you wanted - all the desires of your rightfully prideful heart. Only you can achieve it. And use all the weapons available to you to get what you want - trickery and wit, intelligence, raw unbridled power - let nothing stand in your way. Once you achieve your potential, nothing, not even the forces of nature themselves, will be able to prevent you from taking and keeping what you want."

There's a pause, and a small grin slowly begins to cross over Takashi's face. "That sounds about right to me." he agrees. "Will there be anything else, sir?" Takashi asks, changing the conversation back to business. His father shakes his head, and Takashi gathers his papers and leaves, headed back to the lab.